Rainshields for parked automobiles



Dec. 4, 1962 w. TRANSUE 3,066,972

RAINSHIELDS FOR PARKED AUTOMOBILES Filed April 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. Mar e 764N505 Arraz/v) Dec. 4, 1962 w. TRANSUE 3,066,972

RAINSHIELDS FOR PARKED AUTOMOBILES Filed April 19, 1960 2 Sheets$heet 2 I NV EN TOR. M44752 TEA/V806 BY Arraz N6 7 United States Patent Ofitice Patented Dec. 4, 1962 3,066,972 RAINSHIELDS FOR PARKED AUTOMOBILES Walter Trausue, 1717 W. Main St, Stroudsburg, Pa. Filed Apr. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 23,297 3 Claims. (Cl. 29695) This invention relates to attachments for Windshields, and it particularly relates to rainshields for use on the Windshields of automobiles parked in an outdoor theater.

Although various types of rainshields for parked cars have heretofore been devised, each of these prior devices had one or more defects. For example, if the rainshield was sufiiciently sturdy and well mounted, it was usually relatively complex and difiicult to apply and remove as well as being rather expensive. On the other hand, if it was easy to apply and remove, it was usually apt to fall away or collapse during use and, in any event, required constant replacement due to wear and tear.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a rainshield of the above described type which is both simple to apply and remove and which is yet not apt to collapse or fall away from its position once attached.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rainshield of the above type which is simple in construction and easily adjusted.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved elongated vacuum cup means including angularly extending securing arms thereon for readily securing the rainshield to the windshield.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide elongated vacuum cup means and securing arms thereon which may be used for securing any suitable article in an appropriate location.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational fragmentary view of an automobile to which this invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of FIG. 3 through a contacting edge of a side of the rainshield and the automobile windshield.

FIG. 5 is a view on line 5-5 of FIG. 3, showing an individual vacuum cup and arm.

FIG. 6 is an end plan view of the vacuum cup of this invention mounted in holding position on a glass.

FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of the vacuum cup.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on line 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view of a modified form of the vacuum cup, showing three vacuum cups manufactured as a single unit.

Referring in greater detail to the figures of the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown at 10 an automobile having its windshield 12 extending at its customary angle, a pair of similar rainshields 14 of this invention being mounted thereon. Each rainshield 14 comprises a visor 16 ribbed as at 18 to reinforce its projecting arcuate edge and having depending side wings 20 which rest on the windshield 12. The windshield contacting edge of each wing 20 has a flexible cushioning strip 22, U-shaped in cross section mounted and secured there by the edge being ribbed as at 24, while the edge of wing 20 connecting this contacting edge to the visor is also ribbed as at 26.

The remaining edge of the visor 16, along which edge the windshield mounting means is secured, is provided with an upwardly extending hook at 28. Extending under and cooperating with this hooked edge 28 is the short J-leg 30 of an elongated bar 32, J-shaped in cross-section,

while the long J-leg 34 is provided with an integral reentrant elongated mouth 36, U-shaped in cross-section. Secured by dimples 37 pressed into the outer side of mouth 36 along one elongated edge within this mouth 36 is a semi-flexible apron 38, of rubber or the like, whose other elongated edge 40 is held in pressure contact on the windshield 12 when the rainshield 14 is mounted thereon.

Elongated vacuum cup means consisting of a plurality of elongated vacuum cups 42 serve to detachably mount the rainshield 14 on the windshield 12. Each vacuum cup 42 has its cup lips 44 held in tight contact with the windshield 12 by being pressed against the wet windshield to flex the lips 44 and create a vacuum with the cup 42 so that atmospheric pressure holds the cup in attached position, in the conventional manner. Extending across the back of the cup 42 integrally from somewhat adjacent one of the elongated lips 44 of the cup and forming an acute angle with the plane defined by the lips 44 is a supporting arm 46, the plane of this arm 46 being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated cup 42.

This arm 46 is inserted between the long J-leg 34 and the short J-leg 30 of the J-shaped bar 32, and is held securely therein by fastening means such as screws 48 and sleeve nuts 50 extending through mating apertures formed through the visor 16, the J-legs 30 and 34 and the arm 46, such apertures in the arm 46 being shown at 52. As shown in FIG. 2, each rainshield 14 is provided with three elongated cups 42 mounted in a common axis.

A modified form of vacuum means is shown in FIG. 9, wherein three individual cups are provided with a common arm 56 extending integrally from the backs thereof parallel to their common longitudinal axis across their backs at an acute angle to the plane defined by their lips. If desired, the cups 54 may be separated from each other by suitably cutting their common arm 56.

Due to the flexibility of the cups 42, they may be readily attached around a curvature of the windshield 12, the cups 42 and the apron strip 38 being made of rubber, polyethylene or other suitable material, and the visor 16 and J-bar 32 being made of a suitable metal, aluminum or the like, or of a suitable plastic material, while the screws 48 and the sleeve nuts 50 may be of either a suitable metal or plastic.

The rainshield 14 of this invention is particularly intended for use on a parked car, as when the occupants of the car are attending an outdoor movie, and it starts to rain, or is already raining, obscuring the windshield. A rainshield 14 is then placed on each side of the windshield, as shown, by merely pressing the vacuum cup means 42 down on the windshield 12, the apron 38 then pressing also on the windshield 12 above the cups 42 and rain cannot then flow down over the part of the windshield 12 protected by the rainshield 14. The tightened screws 48 and sleeve nuts 50 of course prevent any leakage through the securing means. After the movie performance, the rainshields are merely lifted 01f the windshield 12 against the pressure of the cups 42.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A rainshield attachment for the windshield of a parked automobile comprising a substantially fiat visor and depending opposite side wings having windshield contacting edges providing an acute angle to the rear edge of said visor and adapted to rest on the windshield, elongated vacuum cup means having upper and lower elongated lips, an elongated supporting arm on said vacuum cup means extending integrally therefrom from somewhat adjacent the upper one of the elongated lips of said vacuum cup means and forming the same acute angle with the plane defined by said vacuum cup lips as said acute angle between said visor rear edge and said windshield contacting edges, said elongated arm being secured to the visor along said visor rear edge, and an elongated flexible apron secured to said visor along said visor rear edge and above said vacuum cup means, said apron having a rearwardly extending elongated edge held in pressure contact with the windshield above said visor rear edge when said vacuum cup means secures said visor to the windshield.

2. The rainshield of claim 1, and securing means for securing said visor rear edge, said vacuum cup elongated arm and said flexible apron together, comprising a hook extending upwardly and forwardly from said visor rear edge, an elongated bar which is J-shaped in cross-section and has long and short legs, the short J-leg extending under and cooperating with said visor rear edge hook, the

long J-leg providing an integral elongated mouth within which said elongated arm of said vacuum cup means extends and is secured, and fastening means extending through said elongated arm securing said elongated J- bar to said visor rear edge.

3. The rainshield of claim 2, and a reentrant mouth, U-shaped in cross section, integrally formed along the long edge of the long leg of said J-shaped bar, said flexible apron being secured along its opposite edge in said reentrant mouth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,119,177 Krafit Dec. 1, 1914 1,155,705 Cowell et al. Oct. 5, 1915 1,204,122 Bowman Nov. 7, 1916 1,478,279 Henne Dec. 18, 1923 1,632,856 Running June 21, 1927 2,326,267 Vavroch Aug. 10, 1943 2,785,001 Soucy Mar. 12, 1957 

